Strategies to control Inclusion Body Hepatitis (IBH)

an emerging health problem in broilers

M.R. Reddy
ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research
Hyderabad-500030, TG, India
Outline
Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is an acute disease of
young broiler chickens caused by several serotypes
of fowl adenovirus (FAdV), characterized by
intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatic cells.
• FAdV – serotypes
• Clinical disease
• Risk Factors
• Diagnosis of IBH
• Outbreak Handling
• Prevention strategies
• Monitoring – Disease/vaccinnation
 Fowl Adenovirus - Serotypes
SPECIES SEROTYPE
Aviadenovirus (Gr-I)
Fowl Adenovirus FAdV-A 1 GEU
Goose Adenovirus
Adenoviridae

Duck Adenovirus
Turkey Adenovirus FAdV-B 5
Pigeon Adenovirus

Siadenovirus (Gr-II) FAdV-C 4, 10 HHPS

Turkey: HEV
Pheasant: MSDV
Chicken: AASV FAdV-D 2, 3, 9, 11
Atadenovirus (Gr-III) IBH
Chicken: EDS Virus FAdV-E 6, 7, 8a, 8b
 Unique Features of FAdV
• A medium sized (75-90nm), Naked (Non-enveloped)
virus
• Virus appears like a space vehicle
• dsDNA Genome (43kb)
• Withstand pH range of 3 to 9
• Resistant to sunlight & Heat 70°C/30min
• Resistant to common disinfectants
• Can remain infective in the environment for long
periods
• Replicate in nucleus and release by cell lysis - death
• Mixed infection – recombination

A tough outer protein coat (capsid) is more resistant to degradation

Core genetic material, made of double-stranded DNA, is more stable
Prevalence of FAdV Serotypes Circulating in India
FAdV-2 FAdV-4 FAdV-8a
0.8% 3.2% 0.8% • Earlier outbreaks: Mainly due to
FAdV-4
• Recent outbreaks: FAdV-8b and
FAdV-8b
FAdV-11
16.9% • The decline of FAdV-4 may be
due to application of FAdV-4
vaccine
FAdV-11 • Emergence of FAdV-8b &FAdV-11
78.2% indicate no cross protection by
FAdV-4 vaccines
 Epidemiology
• FAdVs are widespread in chickens
• Birds can be infected with more than one serotype
• Broilers are more susceptible with higher mortality due to:
• Severe metabolic imbalance
• Heavy destruction of liver pancreas
• Protection is primarily serotype specific, no cross protection
between FAdV species
• Other Species affected include Turkeys, Pigeons, Quails,
Psittacines, ostriches, guinea fowl, duck, wild birds
 Disease Spread
Vertical Transmission Natural Reactivation
Infection of latent virus
• Breeders are not seroconverted before
lay
• Infection during lay – Virus shedding for
4-8wks
• Reactivation of latent virus
• Outbreaks due to VT tend to occur early
in the cycle 3-20 days of age
• Very important to achieve
seroconversion before lay
• Egg production stress, increased levels
of sex hormones at peak egg production
causes reactivation
 Disease Spread
Chickens infected from the
Horizontal Transmission virus present in the broiler
Fecal-Oral route farm
Outbreaks due to HT tend to
Contaminated occur later in the cycle after
Feed 15-20 days
Water
Recurrent problem in poorly
Equipment cleaned and disinfected
Personnel Farms
Litter
FAdV in Feces Commonly associated with
immunosuppression
 IBH: Host-Pathogen-Environment Interaction
Age
Broiler/Layer/Breeder
MABs
Immune competency
HOST • IBD, CAV, MDV, Mycotoxins

Sub-clinical
Stress Infection
Temperature
Humidity IBH
Stocking rate FAdV Serotype
Litter condition Challenge dose
Hygiene Contami- Primary infection
Multi-age nation Intercurrent Infection
Viral load
 IBH is a Primary or Secondary Disease?
Predisposing factors/co-infections
Fowl Adenoviruses are able
IBD, CAV
to cause IBH as a primary IBH MD, REO
disease in broilers without Stress, Toxins
involvement of predisposing
factors or co-infections with
IBDV, CAV, MDV etc Increase the severity
of clinical disease
 Clinical syndromes

• Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH)

• Hepatitis Hydropericardium Syndrome (HHS)
• Gizzard erosion and Ulceration (GEU)
 Pathogenesis
FAdV

Ingestion
Loss of integrity & function
of target organs:
liver, pancreas, kidney Replication in Gut Mucosa

Biomarkers Embryo
Viremia
• AST
• GLDH Egg Feces
• Bile acids
• Total protein Liver Pancreas Kidney Heart
• Albumin Virus Shedding
• Uric acid
• Lipase
Tissue damage Reactivation
(Hepatitis, Panceatitis, Nephritis, Hydropericardium)

Death Recovery Latency Stress

 Clinical Signs
• IBH most commonly seen in Broilers 2-5 weeks of age
• Occasionally reported in younger and older chickens
and layers and Breeders
• Incubation period is very short 24-48 hrs
• Sudden onset of mortality 1-10%, occasionally
exceeding 30%
• The sick birds show lethargy, huddling, ruffled feathers,
depression, inappetence and adopt a crouching position
• HHS is more severe and cause greater morbidity and
mortality (20-80%).
• Breeder mortality, drop in production and hatchability
Spiking mortality pattern in IBH infected chicken flocks

Metabolic Acidosis
Hypoglycemia
Hypocalcemia

Increased severity
Spiking mortality

Venne, 2013
Chavan et al, 2024
 Gross and Microscopic lesions
• Pale, friable, swollen livers with necrotic foci and multiple
subcapsular petechial hemorrhages
• Pale and swollen kidneys
• Swelling with multifocal necrosis in pancreas
• Fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac
• Atrophy of bursa and thymus, aplastic bone marrow
• Large, basophilic, Intranuclear inclusion bodies in
degenerating and necrotic hepatic cells of liver and
acinar cells of pancreas
Samantha, 2009
Basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies completely
filling the enlarged nuclei of hepatocytes
Basophilic intranuclear inclusion
bodies in pancreatic acinar cells
 IBH Diagnosis

Detection of Detection of FAdV/

Host response FAdV components

Clinical Sero FAdV FAdV

Pathology FAdV
signs conversion proteins Genome

Sudden Swollen, pale, ELISA Virus AGPT PCR

mortality mottled Liver isolation FAT Realtime PCR
Necrosis of IHC Sequencing
hepatic, renal, Serotyping
pancreatic cells FAdV-A: 1
FAdV-B: 5
Intranuclear FAdV-C: 4,10
Inclusion bodies FadV-D: 2,3,9,11
Hydropericardium FAdV-E: 6,7,8a,8b
Disease Prevention and Outbreak Handling
Major points to be considered
• Naked virus – resistant to heat and common disinfectant –
survive for prolonged periods
• Cause severe disease in young broilers
• Vertical transmission of virus
• Serotypes circulating in the poultry (FAdV-11,-8b,-4)
• Latency and Reactivation of FAdVs
• Risk factors
• Immunosuppressive diseases – IBD, CAV, MD etc
• Management and environmental stress
• Amount of virus in the environment
Disease Prevention and Outbreak Handling

IBH
Outbreak Handling Prevention Strategies

Role Breeder farm

• Minimize impact of IBH
• Minimize virus spread Role of Hatcheries
• Confirmation of Diagnosis
• Identify Source of
infection/factors
Role of Broiler farms
responsible for outbreak
 Handling of IBH Outbreak
• No antiviral treatment • Ensure GMP
• Minimize the impact of IBH • Confirm Diagnosis and identify Source
• Damage to the liver & pancreas results in of infection/factors responsible for
hypoglycemic conditions. outbreak

• Restoring liver and pancreatic functions to • Minimize virus spread

normal levels which in turn improves • Disposal of dead/sick birds
glucose metabolism and limits the • Disposal of litter
mortality in the IBH affected flocks. • Cleaning & disinfection
• Soda bicarb (125g) + Sugar (400g) in • Terminal disinfection
575 L of drinking water • Down time

• Treat secondary disease • End of the flock serology

• Multivitamin supplements
• Electrolyte supplements
 Prevention Strategies – Breeder Level
Vaccination Breeder flocks Vaccination of breeders against
• To prevent vertical transmission immunosuppressive diseases
• To provide passive immunity (MAbs) • CAV
Vaccine serotypes • IBD
• FAdV-4 Achieving good seroconversion
• FAdV-8b before lay is critical
• FAdV-11 Prevent reactivation of latent
virus
Vaccination Schedule
• Prevent stress
• 12th week
• 18th
week
Biosecurity
• Cleaning and disinfection
• 40th week (mid lay)
• Down time
 Prevention Strategies – Hatchery Level
• Optimum incubation conditions
• Good chick quality
• Good yolk absorption and utilization
Mixing of eggs from
multiple breeder farms
42 grams • Mixing of several
40
Strong immune system serotypes of FAdV
Ability to fight infection • Level of Maternal
Improved gut health antibody
• Chick uniformity
42 grams
34
Weak immune system
60 gram Egg Susceptible to infections
 Prevention Strategies – broiler farm
• Proper cleaning and disinfection
• Aldehydes and lime
• Vaccination of broilers
• 0-10 days
• FadV-4, 8b, 11
• Avoid Management/environmental stressors
• Temperature, feed, air, litter, water, sanitation
• Dead bird disposal, Manure handling and storage
• Pest control
• Control of immunosuppressive viruses with robust vaccination program
• IBDV: breeder, hatchery, Farm
• CAV: Breeder
• MD: hatchery
• End of the Flock Serology
• IBH, IBD, CAV
 Cleaning and disinfection
Cleaning
• Remove litter and move away from the farm
• Wash with water to remove organic matter and dry
Disinfection
• FAdVs are highly sensitive to Calcium Hydroxide (Lime) and
Glutaraldehyde
Name Dilution Application
Glutaraldehyde 1:200 Spray on the floor, walls, ceiling, appliances
(25%) pH: 7.1 and the outside slope for loading/unloading
chickens.
Calcium Hydroxide 1:10 Spray on the floor and walls inside the
(Slaked lime) pH:12.3 poultry houses and the outside slope for
loading/ unloading chickens.
Inoue et al, (2020)
 Disease and vaccination monitoring
• Vaccination monitoring of Breeders
• Good seroconversion of breeders before lay stops
vertical transmission
• Weak seroconversion pre-lay – field infection -
vertical transmission
• Monitoring of MAB in day old chicks
• Vaccination monitoring in broilers
• Disease monitoring in breeders and broilers
• Genotyping of FAdVs from outbreaks
• Updating vaccines with new genotypes, if any
 Summary
• FAdVs are ubiquitous in poultry farms
• It is a tough virus and resistant to commonly used disinfectants
• Breeder vaccination and achieving good seroconversion
prevent vertical transmission and provide MAB to progeny
• Broiler vaccination
• Prevention of immunosuppressive diseases – IBD, CAV, MD
• Through cleaning and disinfection
• Good management practices to avoid stress and spread of virus
• Monitoring of disease and vaccination in breeders and broilers
IBH is Complex Disease, there is no “Silver Bullet”

“Doing the right things at breeder farm, hatchery

and broiler farm is crucial to control IBH”
Thank you for your attention